What do cigar smokers vote?

[Niela]

know it's a sensitive topic and I wouldn't ask people to say who they'd vote for but I am curious.

Given that cigars aren't cheap and money often votes conservative, I would expect most cigar smokers to be tories. On the other hand, I noticed that many cigar smokers are not really fulfilling this clich?.

Somehow I wouldn't expect to many vote green either.

Where would UKIP come in a poll?

Does this forum allow for anonymous polls?

I myself am not allowed to vote though I do follow UK politics closely and as I understand the upcoming election will be the first one that is actually interesting in decades... :-D

[TheMonk]

I can't really vote on this poll, now can I?

[PeeJay]

I can't really vote on this poll, now can I?

How would you vote if you lived here? Go for it Se?or Monk!

[Wigan]

Politics and cigars. Great

[oskihen]

Sadly I think there isn't much difference between the parties now. As regards to typical cigar smokers being Tory , I would say the typical cigar smoker is hard working and discerning in how he spends his money, I've worked for myself for 14 years and believe in hard work there shouldn't be a free ride in this country or any country for that matter and that includes bloody mp's expenses as well robbing bastards !!

[Niela]

Hm... not sure I can agree. I certainly see a whole world of difference between UKIP and the Greens for example. But I think the impression you have is rather connected to the main topics of politics. Economics for example more or less run themselves I'd say. There is not much scope for experimentation and I think all parties will follow their advisers and common sense. When it comes to the EU though there is plenty of difference. Maybe that is why that topic is so blown up these days.

As for freeloaders. I think our economy simply doesn't provide enough jobs for everybody. The question is what to do with all the people that won't have the chance to work because there isn't any work. I for myself are happy to be on the side of the pie that has work and makes enough money to enjoy a comfortable life and in exchange support those who are less fortunate than me. (I consider myself rather lucky than deserving )

When it comes to politicians I would vote for giving each of them salary of 200k a year and after serving a full term a pension of 100k a year for life. Sounds crazy, right? But in exchange I would demand that they:

a) Can't have any other income during their turn and 10 years after retirement
b) Scrap all donations to parties

That way there would be no incentive for bribes and the industry couldn't buy policies by funding the parties election campaigns. Instead the state could reimburse parties a set amount of money if they succesffuly secure a seat in parliament. That would even the playing field and leave the power with the voters, rather than with the people that can afford to donate 6-8 digit figures.

[oskihen]

Work there's plenty out there if you want it and can be bothered to find it , 200k a year each lmao !!!!

[Rob Royston]

I'll gladly admit I'm voting ukip. For only one reason.
The eu has completely f'd up motorcycling law's and are making it harder and harder for motorcyclists, or people wanting to learn.
Also I'm a firm believer in 'if we need it, don't import it, manufacture it'. Not a good concept for cigars, but a good concept for everything else. And ukip are the first step in doing that.

[Niela]

Work there's plenty out there if you want it and can be bothered to find it , 200k a year each lmao !!!!

I'm afraid that is not true. I don't have the figures for the UK but in Germany there are 200-300k open positions and 4 million unemployed. Simple.

The 200k figure is debatable. Make it any kind of amount that would deter people from not having a great incentive to be bribed. Of course, if you have a million you are always happy to get another million.

I would rather debate if it is fair that a member of board of a large company really works that much harder than an entry level employee to earn 500 times more?

[Niela]

Not a good concept for cigars, but a good concept for everything else. And ukip are the first step in doing that.

This will be intersting...

As you pointed out, not a good concept for cigars. Or electronics either. Key components for all electronics are made of rare metals that simply do not occur in the UK. Not mentioning oil. Not sure if north sea oil would be enough for UK consumption but one day it definately won't be. But that is resources and you could argue that this is just a matter of trade and we could still produce locally.

I do agree with that. I would prefer more local production, simply to reduce carbon foot print. But then again, we all say that but we don't really want that. Everybody that ever reached out their hand to a 'special offer' on a supermarket shelf doesn't really want that. Because we benefit greatly from all the cheap stuff that is produced in parts of the world where we can pay people a few pennies an hour to produce what otherwise would cost many times fold of what we pay now.

If we produced everything in the UK, prices would go up significantly and in the end, peoples patriotism only goes that far if it means that they have to pay for it or consume less.

Even that argument aside. Would you really want to live in a place where you can't buy foreign cars, clothes or food (the UK is not capable of producing enough food for it's own right now and forget oranges and bananas as well)?

The EU is as imperfect as any state or government in the world. It's not like we'd live in utopia here if it wasn't for the EU. But the world is already globalized. We chat and talk, we listen and watch movies and music, we enjoy food and culture from all around the world. You go to china and you run into people from every continent, living and working there, just like in any other country. I firmly believe that the future is in merging markets and societies rather than separation.

But then again, I might be wrong... That's the beauty about politics...

[TheMonk]

How would you vote if you lived here? Go for it Se?or Monk!

Muchas gracias, PJ, I believe I will!

[Rob Royston]

Of course autarky is far from what anyone wants.
Example being perhaps...vehicles used for emergency services in the UK, should be manufactured in the UK. Get the police riding triumph bikes instead of Honda. Ok, triumph bikes are made in Asia now for cost, but they are a British company. Why are we giving money to a Japanese company when the money can be kept in the UK?
That's my point.
There are a few guys on here in the oil industry, so correct me if I'm wrong, but don't we produce more oil than we consume? Do therefore it's sold to other countries that can't produce as much as they need?

[PeeJay]

Of course autarky is far from what anyone wants.
Example being perhaps...vehicles used for emergency services in the UK, should be manufactured in the UK. Get the police riding triumph bikes instead of Honda. Ok, triumph bikes are made in Asia now for cost, but they are a British company. Why are we giving money to a Japanese company when the money can be kept in the UK?
That's my point.
There are a few guys on here in the oil industry, so correct me if I'm wrong, but don't we produce more oil than we consume? Do therefore it's sold to other countries that can't produce as much as they need?

Our police ride German bikes

[Rob Royston]

BMW and a few Honda but I think less Honda as they are not as stable at high speed...naughty officers!

[Niela]

Of course autarky is far from what anyone wants.
...Why are we giving money to a Japanese company when the money can be kept in the UK?...

I see your point and I do agree partly. But the question is where to draw the line. Imagine every country would do as you suggested, just for public sector vehicles. Now take a Chinese or American company that has a guaranteed market from the public sector that is 10-100 times as big as the UKs market. Those companies now have a pretty huge advantage over the UK company that tries to compete with it.

In fact, this problem already exists and there are trade laws that try to prohibit that in the spirit of a fair competition.

I know what you mean and in an ideal world that would make total sense. But where to draw the line? When does a well meant help for the local economy become a subsidy that only sustains a company that is not competitive anymore? It is pretty much what Thatcher did with coal. (though I disagree with the way it was done and I would have never privatised trains water and electricity) You have an industry that can't compete anymore on a free market.

If Triumph was competitive in price and quality with Japan, the police would ride Triumph.

I would rather invest more money in infrastructure and boost any part of the UK but London and most importantly, make education free. We need more highly qualified people that have fresh ideas. We can't compete in production with Asia. Innovation and creativity is what we are strong in. That's where we have to focus on.